For The Love Of Music: The Sophomore Year
by goldnote
Summary: The sophomore year of band... with another director. Will Arianna get her wish of majorette, or will the new director have other plans? How does Elissa cope with the stress of colorguard? What will happen to this band as the year goes on? My first fic
1. Changes

_This is my first band fan fic... it is the sophomore year of high school in the book that my friend and I have named "For the Love of Music." The freshman and junior years are coming soon, hopefully... _

_Anyway, this is chappie one... My friend and I co-wrote the beginning and I have her permission to post this and the rest of the story, as well. The characters are based off real people, but the names are made up. Nearly all the events are real. I will say exactly what has happened and what has not as the chapters come one by one! I don't own real life..._

**Chapter One: Changes**

Elissa slammed her locker door shut. The end of the first day of her second year of high school. She already wished it was over. She knew that with Allie gone this year would be a lot different, but this was ridiculous. Today was the day she met the new band director. His name was Mr. Marah, and he'd already caused a fight between she and Arianna. So now she had one best friend an hour away, one who was pissed off at her and one who would tell her to apologize to Ari. The dispute had started in homeroom when Arianna had begun trash talking Mr. Marah. Elissa jumped to his defense, demanding that Ari give up on the idea of her "lover," Mr. Berringer ever coming back and come to terms with the fact that Mr. Marah wasn't going anywhere. Arianna accused Elissa of having a crush on the new teacher and stormed off to Kasey's homeroom to vent to her. Lissa, likewise, stalked off in the other director to the music rooms. She found herself at Mr. Marah's office door.

"Hello Mr. Marah," she said with fake enthusiasm.

"Oh, hello—Bryce, right?" he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Elissa, yeah," she nodded.

"How was your first day back?"

"Great. What do you think of Albany so far?"

"Not too bad. The students are great. This band has potential. I plan to use it."

Elissa nodded skeptically. "You know what?" she scoffed, "That's what they all said." She shook her head and left the room, realizing that Mr. Marah would no doubt be just like the last three teachers. They all made their empty promises. She had believed that this year would be different. But why get attached? Look at poor Ari. Mr. Berringer promised that he wouldn't leave the very first day. Yet, within months, he had put in his resignation. Arianna's heart was broken, her hopes crushed. Mr. Berringer had faith in her. He understood her when no one else had. Both of them were envied by their peers. Their talent had turned them, not into people who were looked up to, but people who were hated. Arianna had always been teacher's pet in band. Her talent surpassed all others. Her dedication could never be matched. Even Elissa envied her. She felt as if she was always competing with Arianna. She envied the relationship she had with Mr. Berringer. How the two could have a conversation without saying a word. And she hated Mr. Berringer for leaving. Just like Mr. Ward had done. Just like Mr. Martin had done. Just like Mr. Marah would do, she bet.

"Elissa!" Jackie's voice pulled her from her thoughts as the school bus screeched to a halt in front of the tiny gas station where Elissa worked. "You have to work today, don't you?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. Thanks." Elissa stood up and grabbed her backpack. Walking up the narrow aisle, she was careful not to trip over the bags and limbs of the kindergarten through seventh graders in the front of the bus.

"Hello Lissa." Sherry greeted her cheerfully when she walked through the door. "How was the first day of school?"

"It was fine." Elissa had lied, hanging up her backpack on the hook behind the counter. Two blurs whizzed past her as two of Sherry's children chased each other down the candy aisle.

"By the way, Elissa, thanks for coming in on such short notice. You're a lifesaver," Sherry said. "John should be here to pick up the kids in a few minutes."

"No problem," Elissa said with a smile. She always looked forward to coming in to work when Sherry was there. Sherry and John were a younger couple in their late twenties. They had owned the gas station for nearly five years, and Elissa couldn't ask for a better boss than Sherry. The woman always had a smile on her face, even when she was frazzled from the bundles of energy she called her children. The hours were on the long end, but Elissa didn't mind: She got half off everything and free ice cream.

_Yeah, as you can tell, my friend "Elissa" wrote most of the first chapter... I just threw in a few word suggestions, but she said she didn't care if I posted it, like I said before. Don't worry, everything starts to pick up! Just wait and see and review! Please review... its one of the only ways I get to grow as a writer: through what other people say!_


	2. Making Promises, Making Amends

_Once again, I don't own real life... these things happen and I just write about them! This is another chapter that my friend and I wrote; I have her full permission to post it..._

**Chapter Two: Making Promises, Making Amends**

The buzzing alarm went off right next to her head at 6:07 am. Elissa rolled over and fumbled for the "off" button. Another day. Day two of what was most certainly going to be an interesting school year. She showered, brushed her teeth, and got dressed, trying to force herself to be more optimistic.

"Good morning," Arianna said as Elissa plopped down at their usual table in the commons.

"What's good about it?" grumbled Kasey from under her jacket.

"Morning Ari, Kasey," Elissa said.

"Hey, look," Arianna said. "I called Allie last night and she verbally kicked both of our butts for yesterday's homeroom brawl. She told me that is we didn't kiss and make up, she'd come down here from Buffalo and force us to."

"So?" Elissa said, waiting for Arianna.

"So... I'm sorry, I guess." Kasey's head shot up in surprise, her jaw dropped.

"I guess I am, too," Elissa agreed with a smirk.

"Truce?" Arianna asked, extending her hand.

"Under one condition."

"What's that?" asked Arianna.

"I get some of your cookie," she laughed. Arianna smiled and rolled her eyes, shoving part of her breakfast across the the table.

"Very good. Now play the chromatic scale." The band room echoed with the sounds of forty plus students playing a scale on instruments that hadn't been played in nearly three months. After two notes, Marah had stopped them. "Well, a little practice, maybe. You can put your instruments down; I have something I want to tell you."

Elissa grinned and sat down on the bench behind the snare drums along with Aaron.

"Hey, Bryce," he whispered. She smiled at him.

"Hey Gable."

"Did you dye your hair or something?"

"Yeah, I did. Thanks for noticing."

"It looks good," he said with a wink. Elissa's grin grew wider. It was a good thing she was sitting down, she decided, because his smile made her knees so weak that, had she been standing, she would have fallen down. Marah cleared his throat.

"There is something I would like to say to you all," he began. "I have heard many remarks coming from this band and the varsity band about the band director position in this school being a cursed one. I am not a superstitious guy, but I do know that there have been some stability issues in this band; what with four new directors in just as many years? I am not an idiot. I know what kind of an effect this has had on you students. I had a feeling that you would all be very reluctant to trust me. None of you want to believe I'll be here next year. But let me tell you something. I am here to stay. I will be here when you graduate. I will be here when your children graduate. I plan on turning this band into what it once was. I know you have it in you, and I have no doubt we will go far. We will be number one. There's just no excuse not to be."

"Is that a threat?" asked a trumpet player, half kidding, half serious.

"No, that's a promise."

_So, that was chappie two... That was an actual speech the director gave... no kidding you. Ouch... Thanks for reading and please review! See you next chapter!_


	3. An Accusation

_Hey! You're back! Thanks! Once again, I don't own any of this... It's just life. My friend and I worked on this chapter (again) and I have her permission to post it... _

**Chapter Three: An Accusation**

"Well, I guess that's the end of the band teacher curse," Elissa said, sitting down on one of the desks during homeroom.

"I sure hope so," Kasey muttered. "I am sick and tired of you two fighting and complaining and fawning over every new band director."

"Speaking of fawning over band directors, where is Arianna?" Elissa asked. Kasey shrugged as the minute bell rang.

"Whoops! I'm late! I'll see you later," Kasey called over her shoulder. Elissa waved goodbye to Kasey and Arianna stormed through the door just as the final bell echoed through the corridors of the school.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to grace us with her presence!" Elissa teased.

Can you believe the NERVE of that guy?" Arianna cried, desperately and hopelessly frustrated.

"Why? Who? What happened?"

"Mr. Marah! That---that---he is such a---a something so horrible I can't even begin to describe it!"

"Ari! Calm down. Tell me what happened."

"That asshole calls me into his office, tells me I'm a 'good' flute player, and then accuses me of having a 'relationship' with Mr. Berringer!"

"What?" Elissa fake-gasped.

"Yeah!" cried Arianna, not picking up on the sarcasm due to her ranting. "He goes, 'I know you and Mr. Berringer had a relationship.' And then he sits there with that smug grin, and-"

"Ari, he probably didn't mean it like that-"

"He meant it exactly like that! He moved his hands together like this:" Arianna moved her hands close together and then farther apart several times. "That sick... he thinks Mr. Berringer and I were... that we were, you know..."

"Entwined in loves duet?" offered Elissa.

"Sure, whatever, but no more Phantom of the Opera quotes please; I am being serious."

"I know. It's just that, sometimes Ari, you take things a little too seriously. I mean, after all, you and Mr. Berringer were kind of, well, in a relationship, minus all the normal relationship stuff. You would have had to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to see it last year. Everyone knew you guys had a thing for one another."

"Really?" asked Arianna, surprised.

"DUH!"

"Hum, well," Arianna's angry expression turned into one of thoughtfulness and fondness, then back to anger. "Well, I still can't believe to say that. And a 'good' flutist? I am the best this school has to offer!"

"It's a good think you're so humble about it," Elissa muttered.

"What?" snarled Arianna.

"Nothing..." Elissa bit at her fingernails, her worst of all her bad habits.

"If I hadn't been in shock like that, I'd have giving him a piece of my mind! I mean---ah..." Arianna couldn't find anymore words, so she sat down on a desk and crossed her arms, her face red.

"Once more from the top!"

The colorguard and band went back to their beginning positions on the football field for the fifteenth time. It was a chilly September evening and they were rehearsing that year's halftime show for the homecoming game in two weeks. Elissa's fingers were freezing from her grip on the metal pole of her colorguard flag and on her way back to her position, she blew into the hands a few times. She spotted Arianna glaring intently at Mr. Marah and couldn't help but smile and shake her head. Ever since that day in homeroom, Arianna had spent most of her time either avoiding Mr. Marah or, when avoiding him was not an option, glaring at him with furious hatred. She had accomplished one thing in doing so: Marah was terrified of her.

Elissa passed the drum line on her way back to the front of the band and Aaron whispered, "Traitor." He smirked at her and tapped her on the arm with his quad mallets as she walked by and she smiled back.

"Get over him, Elissa. He's not worth it," Kasey said, lazily tossing a single with her rifle.

"He's finally paying attention to me," Elissa whispered. "I'm not giving up now!"

"Elissa, Kasey, quit with the chit chat," Marie, their colorguard coach, snapped. The girls fell silent and the drum line started the count-off once again.

Finally, at nine thirty, the band and colorguard were allowed to leave. Darkness had fallen hours ago, but the lights on the field glowed like daylight. Elissa gratefully rolled up the silk on her flag and she and Kasey caught up with Arianna in the band room.

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him..."

"Who do you hate?" Kasey asked Arianna as she shoved the piccolo case into it's spot on the shelf.

"Don't you think that is a little obvious?" asked Elissa as Marah entered the room. Arianna glanced up at him with a look of utter distaste and she kept her eyes on him as he crossed the room.

"Oh, will you knock it off!" he finally shouted, making Elissa and Kasey jump. Arianna coldly stood up from where she had been kneeling, staring him down.

"Excuse me?"

"Quit looking at me like I shot your damn dog!" Marah yelled. "Look, I know you don't agree with me, but-"

"That row was fine where it was! Now that it's been moved, where are the brass going to go after measure-"

"I did what I thought was best! If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work!"

Turning on her heel, Arianna left the room, turning her back on Marah, Elissa and Kasey scampering after her.

_There you have it. The reference to the Phantom of the Opera is short, but I think I need to add that Andrew Lloyd Webber has the rights to the musical! Not me! Please review and tell me what you think! Don't worry, the story goes on and gets better with every chapter!_


	4. Turning Out The Lights

_Here is Chapter Four... This is all my own writing. _

**Chapter Four: Turning Out The Lights.**

It was the night of the homecoming show, the weather even colder than it was during the one and only practice they had nearly a week ago. The band was frozen by the time the majorette called everyone into a line at the edge of the football field. Elissa could see Arianna stomping her feet, trying to pound some life into them, while breathing on the piccolo keys. Elissa could also see Arianna's grey eyes look toward the majorette with envy and ambition, her mouth forming the words both Elissa and Kasey had heard so many times: "I WILL be the majorette..."

"Get over here!" screamed Marie, the colorguard running and lining up behind the band, dancing where they stood because of the cold. Although the colorguard uniforms were more graceful than the regular band uniforms, they were also thinner and retained less heat: not such a very good thing for a fall show. Elissa suspected that, if she were not wearing gloves, her hands would be stuck to the colorguard pole she now held in anticipation.

The stands were full of people, most of them wrapped in warm woolen blankets, clutching Styrofoam cups of hot chocolate that were being sold by the student council. The announcer called out the name of the marching band and succeeded in mispronouncing the title of the show. None of the band members could hear the announcer, however, because they were being yelled at by an enthusiastic Mr. Marah.

"Even though we've only had one practice-"

Elissa could faintly hear Arianna's slight, high-brow snort of disapproval and grinned in spite of herself as Marah stammered.

"-and even though we have only had one practice, I know that we will do great! Go out there and show the crowd that we are a brand new band!"

A few fairly non-frozen band members gave an unenthusiastic cheer and the rest stood like Arianna: stiff with cold, upset by the lack of practice, and trying to keep their instruments working. The majorette, in her skirt and shivering harder than the colorguard members, blew the whistle and off the band marched down the field. The colorguard received no pep talk. Elissa and Kasey simply gave one another a good luck glance and followed the band across the football field.

"Yeah, it really wasn't all that bad. I think that I was a quarter step over from where I should have been during the fifth measure of-"

"Ari, shut up! You did fine! Everybody BUT you messed up! You were right about the line, though, that Marah changed. The brass had no where to go!"

"You just want me to think I did a good job so you don't have to hear about what I did wrong."

Elissa sighed and decided that it was a hopeless cause: Arianna would now blame herself and Marah for the poor performance that night.

"Well, you guys go on ahead. I am going to change out of this uniform. I'll meet you at the student council stand?"

Elissa and Kasey shrugged and left. Arianna sighed as she watched them leave. As much as she enjoyed the silence after that noisy, almost disastrous performance, the silence seemed hollow and Arianna knew it was because 'he' was gone. Humming an old tune to herself, Ari diligently put her uniform away in it's bag, the jacket coming away sticky as she peeled it off her shoulders. Even though it was so cold outside she still couldn't feel her toes, she had still worked up a sweat: probably from worrying. The piccolo was put away in it's case, the keys still like ice cubes, and was stashed in the back of the uniform bag. No one else would get the piccolo this year. It was her choice instrument right now and would always be until she became the majorette. If she because the majorette at all... Her flute had brought her too much pain to be any form of comfort now.

"What are you humming?"

Arianna jumped at the voice and then glared as the band director walked into the room. He pretended not to notice the angry, unsettling glare as he straightened and stacked the chairs.

"Did you think tonight went well?"

"As well as it could have gone with only one practice."

"I told you before. I couldn't fit another one in. We did fine that night, anyway, so I wasn't worried."

"I'm glad you were not worried. I suppose I was doing enough worrying for the both of us," Arianna spat.

Mr. Marah sighed. He supposed he couldn't talk to this girl without darting around the rather venomous tongue she had.

"I think it was a good night, besides the little accident with the line behind the brass..."

Mr. Marah walked to the door and turned off the lights, leaving Arianna in the dark with no choice but to follow him. It was either that or to sit in the dark. Sighing, Arianna put away her uniform bag in the corner shelf and followed Marah.

In silence, she made her way to the main doors, the same ratty old doors that had been there the last thirty years, Arianna supposed. What had they all seen? Suddenly and quite without warning, Arianna saw her old director in the room, making his rounds with grace, straightening the mallets, making sure everything was alright for the night.

Mr. Marah saw Arianna gaze off into the distance, her face both happy and sad. Making his way to stand next to her, his hand drifted over to the main power switches, the many switches lined up in a perfect row.

Flick. Out went the percussion lights.

Flick. Out went the brass lights.

One by one, they all were turned off, until the podium light was all that remained. That little, feeble yellow light illuminated the worn podium, the scratched music stand, the few scores that the stand barely held without falling over.

Marah looked back to Arianna. It was full of silent agony as her grey eyes looked into the light, the light that was trying to spread into the darkness, to cut in in half, to drive it away. But it was too feeble. Arianna suddenly looked into Marah's eyes, the pain still there, but fading away slowly, drawn away like poison from a wound.

"What's the matter?"

"This is the way Mr. Berringer and I would lock the band room, turning off every light but the podium light, leaving that one for last."

And before the director knew it, Arianna stalked off into the night, the school doors shutting behind her. It was with a weakened morale that Mr. Marah turned off the last light, plunging the band room into utter darkness.

_There you have it! You might think right now that "Arianna" is a spoiled brat, and I guess she kind of is, in a way, but you get to like her more as time goes on, I think... Please read and review! I love hearing about these things!_


	5. Yet Another Concert

**Chapter Five: Yet Another Concert.**

"And here we go again," Arianna sighed, a touch of exasperation in her voice.

"Zip me up, will you?"

Arianna puled the zipper up on the back of Elissa's colorguard uniform.

"Thanks, doll!"

"Sure." Elissa heard Arianna's voice become strained.

"What's the matter?" Elissa asked, turning around just in time to see Marah walk up and clap Arianna on the shoulder, Arianna quickly shrugging him off.

"Do you think we are going to do great tonight? Isn't it a beautiful night? Too bad the marching concert is in the gym... I could have whipped up a routine if I would have known the weather would have been this nice!"

"It's Halloween, Mr. Marah. A lot of kids aren't going to be here," said Arianna, a touch of concern in her voice that Elissa knew she was trying to hide.

"Why do you think that?" Marah's voice was a bit strained, also. Apparently, he thought she was trying to be difficult again. Well, if Ari was going to be difficult, Elissa could bring out the "secret weapon" against Arianna.

"What do children usually do Halloween night, Mr. Marah?" Arianna sneered, her calm composure wearing off too soon for her own good. Elissa saw Mr. Marah's smile become a grin of tolerance. Elissa grinned like her director as Arianna began to catch on what was going on...

"You brought it upon yourself, Arianna. I swear, I didn't tell him that you had your Halloween costume in your uniform bag..." Elissa could barely lie, she was giggling so hard.

"What I can't believe is that it was actually in there! I know I didn't put it there."

Arianna was dressed in a robe of shimmering green, a golden headband laying over her forehead. Marah had shoved a bright orange pumpkin pail into her hand, full to the brim with candy. The costume was to be the costume for a Halloween party the night after the concert, but, Elissa, after finding out that band students were needed to pass out candy to the audience before the show, had called Arianna's house and bribed her little sister to put the costume in her older sister's uniform bag before she left. For once, the girl had listened... After seeing the costume in her bag, Elissa ran and told Marah Arianna had a costume with her and would gladly help out. Marah, not being a fool, knew Elissa was trying to push Arianna into an uncomfortable position; but he didn't care. He needed helpers and Arianna would be just fine.

"Well, it looks like we're in this together," a familiar voice spoke up. Aaron Gable stood in front of Arianna and Elissa, dressed in a Phantom of the Opera costume, a mask covering half his face and clutching an identical orange pail of treats. "I brought the costume for Peter to wear at the party tomorrow night, but Marah has eyes like a hawk and told me to put it on..."

Elissa's heart jumped. The Phantom had been one of the things in life that she loved the most, ever since seeing the show in N.Y.C. With Arianna during a band trip a few years ago. Even Arianna raised an eyebrow as Aaron swept up behind her, covering her with his cloak.

"Come on, now! Get a move on! People are waiting!"

Marah was screaming orders at people and had spotted the three in the hallway, doing nothing but talking. As Aaron walked by with Arianna, Elissa grabbed her arm.

"Don't ruin my chances with him!"

"Don't worry, Elissa! Nothing will happen. I'm not interesting in brown haired, brown eyed percussionists. Blond haired, blue eyed trumpet players are my thing, remember?"

And with that, Arianna disappeared behind a corner with Aaron.

"Damn her! Always so uptight and then she gets rewarded with Aaron as the Phantom, no less! Well, it was my idea to get her to help Marah out... He really was a jerk to her before, but Arianna is just-"

"Elissa, I'm going to call the men in the white jackets and butterfly nets to come and get you if you are really talking to yourself."

"Gosh, Kasey! Don't sneak up on me! What are you doing here?"

"Wondering why you are talking to yourself and why Arianna is playing dress-up with Gable. Besides, Marie has just sent all the guard members looking for you. You were supposed to be in the theater with us ten minutes ago."

"Great..."

"Never, NEVER again!"

"Well, too bad. We have two more of these indoor marching concerts until we graduate."

"Not if I can help it! The only way I am doing another is if I am majorette!"

Arianna was complaining about the concert and, for once, Elissa was joining her.

A Halloween themed concert, the program consisted of several non-spooky songs and plenty of cheesy effects that didn't even work. The fog machine had not been working at the beginning and then, off-cue, it suddenly emitted large amounts of a tan fog that smelled like rotten eggs. The machine undoubtedly broken and the crowd choking on fumes, glow sticks seemed to be the only thing to redeem the band. However, the glow was so light that no one could really see them. The marching part of the concert itself was clumsily run through. It didn't help that Marah kept dropping his baton.

Elissa had to admit that Arianna was right. The concert was awful.

"Great job tonight, Arianna," said Marah with enough venom to even take Ari by surprise. "You did a great job missing a turn and congrats on dropping your glow stick."

Not missing a beat, Arianna called back, "You did pretty well yourself as you dropped your baton every few seconds! I was impressed!"

Elissa sighed. Marah and Ari hated each other more than ever.

_Once again, I don't own the Phantom... The actual concert was a true event. It was awful and half the audience left because of the putrid fog... ew. Please review! Thanks!_


	6. A Pointless Sleepover

_This chapter really has nothing to do with marching, but, as in all stories, you can't beat the subject to death with a stick! I like this chappie a lot because it really tells how a sleep over is with me and my friends... except "Ari" is not such a brat..._

**Chapter Six: A Pointless Sleepover**

"We wish you a-"

Arianna glared at Kasey as she broke out into another Christmas carol.

"Come on, Ari, chill out! We know that you are mad at Marah. Again. But you can at least relax out of school!"

"I just can't concentrate with Kasey singing off tune to Christmas songs when we are hardly past Thanksgiving."

"Sorry, I didn't know you needed to concentrate so hard on tearing paper into little bits and scattering them across my floor," said Elissa, opening another can of soda.

The three friends were at Elissa's house, the usual sleepover spot. All were in pajamas and drinking soda. All except Arianna. While Kasey and Elissa were already on a caffeine high, Arianna had not touched her soda, but was instead wearing jeans and a tee shirt, ripping pieces of paper out of the numerous notebooks that littered Elissa's floor, the shreds falling to the floor from between Arianna's fingers.

"Well, with all the paper looking like snow on the floor, I might have thought that it was Christmas!" Kasey cracked open another soda. "I thought I wouldn't eat for a week after Thanksgiving diner, but here I am!"

"Kasey, it's been more than a week after Thanksgiving."

"That's why I am eating," smirked Kasey, dumping a few crackers into her mouth. Elissa threw a soda at Arianna, who caught it in mid-air and threw it back at Elissa so fast that she didn't realize that the soda she had thrown moments ago was back in her lap.

"That's almost inhuman, Arianna," Kasey said. Only, it had to be interrupted by Elissa, the original sentence being: "Thamp's molmist imuman, Ariama."

"You know what else is inhuman," added Elissa, "Being so pissed off ALL THE TIME!"

The day before Thanksgiving break, Arianna had come to homeroom in tears, Elissa having to escort her to the bathroom to avoid a scene. Arianna had been in the back rooms of the music department for weeks, recording performances for an honor band. She had not looked healthy: too pale, too skinny, cheeks sunk in, mouth swollen from constant work. Not trusting Mr. Marah, Arianna had handled all the paperwork herself: except one sheet. The sheet of director information that a student was not allowed to even look at, according to the rules, much less take care of themselves. There was no legal way she could have taken care of it, and so she had put her trust in Marah that he would take care of that one sheet...

Arianna had been putting together the package to send to the judges and had everything she needed, but that one sheet was not there. Marah had lost the sheet, and the package was supposed to go out that afternoon. A large fight occurred after Arianna was unable to print another copy on any computer she could get her hands on. Marah, a little embarrassed, kept telling Arianna that she had lost it, that she never gave it to him in the first place, but Arianna knew different. Marah had ended up exploding at Arianna and she left him sitting in his office with the package, bursting into tears as soon as she saw Elissa. Arianna had not talked to Marah since break ended and Marah, although he had fixed the problem and found the sheet 'he never had,' was on the point of grabbing Arianna by the shoulders and shaking her.

Elissa passed that point. She jumped off the bed and onto the floor, bits of paper floating into the air, and literally shook Arianna.

"You will get a grip! You will get into your pajamas, you will drink your soda, and you will be obnoxious with us until my mother comes out and yells at us for being loud! Now move!"

Kasey looked at Arianna and Elissa in shock, mouth half full of flavored sugar, wondering with slight fear what Arianna was going to do.

Arianna burst into hysterical laughter, the maniacal laughter growing with every second Kasey and Elissa stared at her. By the time Arianna got a grip, Kasey and Elissa's nerves were on edge.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Kasey asked Elissa hesitantly.

Arianna was asleep on the floor many hours later, the paper bits fluttering with her breathing, pajamas covered in the paper. Elissa glanced out of the window.

"Look," she said wearily to Kasey, who was draped over the bed, batting at empty soda cans, "Sunlight!"

"You know, maybe having a sleepover includes sleep. We need to-" Kasey yawned. "We need to-"

"We need to what?" Elissa asked, throwing an empty can at Arianna. It bounced off of her shoulder and she didn't move, but muttered, "Mr. Berringer?"

"NO BAND DIRECTOR DREAMS IN MY ROOM!"

Elissa threw another can at Ari before falling asleep herself.

_Yippee! Please tell me what you think! "Review," my plotbunnies cry. Thanks!_


	7. Disappointments

_Now, it doesn't really break away from marching band, but, since the musical was such a big part of what influenced the next few chapters, I had to include it. The marching band members play in the pit, that is how it is tied to marching band! I don't own "Into The Woods" or any of the characters that are named. The place in which this all happens is true: there IS a Little Theater and we don't know where the big one is!_

**Chapter Seven: Disappointments.**

The days passed and winter soon became spring. With it, along with the usual band practices and Arianna and Marah snapping at one another, Elissa was getting ready for this year's musical, "Into The Woods." The day Mr. Mercer announced it, Elissa had her mother buy the CD on her way home from work that night. She listened to the songs over and over and over again, day and night, until it was all burned into her memory.

Finally, the day of auditions arrived, and Elissa had no doubt that she would be the best in the room. She hadn't felt nervous until the moment she set foot in the theater.

The Little Theater, as it was called, was old. Battered seats, frayed carpet, scratched walls... but it couldn't be helped. Elissa recalled the myth that there was once a Big Theater, but it had collapsed due to lack of school funding and no one could find the remains of it.

"Are you coming or what?" The rumble of the choir teacher's voice exploded in the theater, snapping the daydreaming students back to earth and scaring Elissa out of her wits. Laughing eased her nerves as she joked to herself that she would make him jump when she sang so beautifully and snagged her part as the lead singer.

"I can do this!" cried Elissa in her head as she walked down the steps and sat down in an empty chair. The auditions started.

"I still can't believe... Never would I- . He was-"

"Arianna, shut up!"

"Hey, I'm trying to help out here!"

"Well, finish a sentence first!"

"Both of you, shut up."

Elissa, Arianna, and Kasey were sitting at the lunch table, all three poking at the lump of pasty potatoes on their plates. The cast list had been pinned up: and Elissa was unhappy about it, which, of course, made everyone else unhappy.

To say that Elissa was unhappy would be an understatement.

When Kasey had told her two friends to shut up, potatoes on the end of her fork went flying. Elissa glumly wiped the food from her cheek as Arianna shook potatoes out of her hair.

"I'm not in the mood today!" Elissa exploded, picking up her tray and stalking off. Kasey looked guilty from her fork to her potatoes. Arianna smiled.

"Don't worry, she'll get over it."

"Over it? She's gonna kill someone, and that someone is probably going to be you, because you like to annoy her!"

"I don't do it on purpose," said Arianna, her voice cheerful, her face not. "At least she has a part. Some people didn't even get parts! If she doesn't get more than a word or two, it's still not bad. Anyway," continued Arianna, "Elissa is too much of a prima donna to play something like she has right now. She does need a better part, but-"

SMACK.

Arianna, with lightning quick reflexes, snatched the fork from Kasey's astonished hand and, none too softly, poked Elissa in the hip, who had heard her comment and smacked Ari upside the head.

Kasey seized her fork before Ari could do any more damage while Elissa and Arianna called each other the same bad word at the same time. Kasey laughed nervously as Ari couldn't help but smile. It was a dark smile, however, and Elissa didn't trust it.

"Elissa, it could be considered a compliment, too, to be called a prima donna. You are simply larger than life and people can't handle that. Don't be so quick to smack me next time, or I might get back at you with something other than a fork!" Arianna smiled wider, but Elissa just glowered at her. "Plus, didn't we all agree that I can't be held accountable for what comes out of my mouth?"

Elissa gave a glare, shook her head, and walked away.

"Don't worry, Ari. She'll be fine." Arianna started to go after Elissa, but Kasey held her back. Arianna sat down with a slump as Kasey dropped her fork onto her plate.

'This will happen to every one of us, won't it?"

Kasey looked up at her friend. Ari's arms were crossed and her dark hair fell arrogantly over her shoulder. Ari's eyes were mirrored.

"No, don't start on your fortune-telling, Ari..."

"It will happen, though. Elissa is only the beginning..."

_What do you think? Please review and I'll be back with the next chappie soon!_


	8. The Chaos Of Theater

_This is a pretty short chapter, I hope... If anyone has problems on the long chapters, let me know. I don't like long chapters myself, but it just doesn't work if I chop everything up! _

**Chapter Eight: The Chaos of Theater.**

"I can't find my shoe!"

"Where is my music book?"

"I'm getting some water. I'll be back."

"Where's he going?"

"Getting water."

"Never mind, I found my book."

"I am still missing my shoe!"

These were snippets of dialog in the wings of the production. Tonight was opening night and no one was ready, but everyone was excited to get on stage.

Arianna held her head, misery apparent on her face. She snapped at the freshman who had just toppled her music stand and the kid, terrified, set it straight and ran for his life.

"You look like hell, Ari."

"Thanks for noticing, Elissa."

"Are you being serious or sarcastic?"

"Both."

"Wow, you look like hell!"

Kasey came down the concrete steps and almost ran right into Elissa, who then almost toppled into Arianna; Arianna pushed her chair back and the startled Elissa fell to the floor.

"Thanks for catching me," snapped Elissa.

"You're welcome," snarled Arianna.

"Sorry..." cringed Kasey.

It was the first night of the musical and emotions were high. After a month of tears, sweat and blood (literally, as the whole costume room was littered with tissue boxes, smelled like sweat, and the first aid kit was nearly emptied of it's contents) all was ready.

Elissa was mad about her small role and her choir teacher's choice in giving her a part with no singing, but forgave both. Her choir teacher was like a father, after all, and her part was only a prelude to next year, when she would get her big break; Elissa knew it.

"Come one, come all... MOVE YOUR BUTTS!"

The student teacher, who was conducting the pit band, burst backstage, clapping his hands. This young man was the choir teacher assistant, one of the reasons Arianna had agreed to be a part of the pit band with other marching students. Since Christmas, Mr. Marah and Arianna had been at each other's throats.

"Come on! To your spots! One minute till curtain!"

Elissa, who had no stage time until the last scene of the last act, was a percussionist for pit band along with her friends, and clambered up the scaffolding. Kasey, giving everyone a good luck hug, ran off to sit in the audience. The student teacher patted Arianna on her head as Ari sneezed before he lifted the baton to start the show.

"Well, it's all over."

"Yeah, all over..."

Elissa and Arianna sat in an empty classroom Sunday night, Elissa in costume, Arianna clutching a tissue.

"Still not over that- whatever the hell it's called?"

"The cold? No, but you would be proud of me. I took some medicine..."

Arianna sneezed again. It didn't seem like the medicine was doing much.

"Lets go home, okay? I'm tired of sitting in the back room...We can help the pit clean up tomorrow. The student teacher already gave you permission to go home and rest up before practice starts for marching band next week."

"I agree... let's go home."

Arianna sneezed one final time.

_So, that was chappie eight. I don't really personally like that one because it has very little to do with marching band, but I jump right into it in the next chapter. Please read and review! My plotbunnies will love you forever! Thanks!_


	9. The End of the School Year,

_Beware! This one is a long chapter. I can't really cut it up, but maybe it is a long chapter for a good thing... I don't know what that thing is, though. I am a bit tired, so I am babbling... I'll stop now and let you read... Only if you want to, that is... ha... _

**Chapter Nine: The End of the School Year, the Beginning of Hope...**

"What a waste."

"You've said that many times before, Ari."

"I know..."

Arianna and Elissa were outside the band room, Arianna pounding a fist on the glass of the trophy case. Elissa, absentmindedly picking at a hole in the carpet next to where she sat, vaguely remembered the many times Arianna had grimaced while passing the case. She agreed, though: the case looked awful. Second and third place trophies were toppled over and in poor condition. The marching band had not won a first place in years... Elissa remembered someone saying it was eleven years since the last first place trophy was won.

"What a waste."

"Ari, you just said that..."

"I know."

Arianna pounded the glass with her fist, leaning her head to it in frustration.

"Don't break the glass, Ari."

"When is Marah coming?"

"In a few minutes, maybe. We were here a little early."

It was the first evening practice for the year's marching band. School had not even let out for the year. They still had a week to go. The positions had been chosen by Mr. Marah. For the first time in years, there was to be an assistant majorette. Arianna was in the running, like she had always hoped...

Or, rather, had been in the running.

Arianna, fed up with Mr. Marah, had quit band the last fourth of the year. Her health ruined due to stress, the doctor bills piled up until Arianna had a choice: quit music for a little while, or end up in the hospital. Arianna had left the band.

Quitting, although she had been one of the strongest performers, had provoked Mr. Marah into taking her off any awards she might have gotten, although other members of the band who were not as talented and had not been in band longer than Ari had to stay away received awards at the last concert.

Arianna didn't care about the awards, though. She cared about one thing: majorette. And once Marah found out, he called her into his office. He told her that there was going to be an assistant majorette and that only dedicated members of the band were eligible. And she was not dedicated in his eyes, although she still performed with the musical and helped with the concert and went to the band events the regular members had gone to during the few short weeks Arianna was ordered to quit band. Oh, the joy in his eyes when he had seen he struck a blow to this hard-headed girl, this person who had called him on his mistakes when he had hoped no one was looking. To make sure Arianna wouldn't quit summer band for good, he told the other area directors about her and they voided her applications to the city bands because of an ankle injury that still haunted her to that day. After keeping her chained to the band, knowing she loved it too much to leave marching band entirely, Marah was sure Arianna would break.

Elissa, recalling all of this, touched her colorguard pole that lay by her side. She thanked goodness that she was not part of the band proper this particular year.

"It should have been me."

"I know, Ari... I know."

Arianna snarled softly to herself, eyes reflected in the glass in front of her. Elissa sighed in exasperation. Arianna's eyes darted to the reflection of Elissa behind her, and Elissa turned her head. She didn't want to have a fight.

"Good evening, Elissa."

Mr. Marah's voice drifted toward her ears and she turned to see him stride down the steps, whistle in hand. Arianna, noticing he was ignoring her, stiffened as he walked past her and unlocked his office, swinging the whistle from side to side, mocking Arianna.

"Hello, Mr. Marah," Elissa answered, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"You know, I think I just have to get over it."

"Arianna, you're having a breakthrough!"

Elissa and Arianna sat on the steps leading to the band room, instrument cases, music, and colorguard equipment everywhere. It had been a grueling week of practice. For five hours every night, the band had marched down the streets of town, trying to learn the routine Mr. Marah had made for this summer.

Elissa was surprised by her friend's statement. There had been an incident earlier in the week and Mr. Marah had to speak with Arianna directly. The accident was that a jealous flute player picked a fight with Arianna after Arianna had been given the spot in the band she wanted. According to this girl, Arianna was doing something wrong and, when the girl told her she was, Arianna swore at her. Mr. Marah was approached by the group of friends this girl belonged to, telling him how Arianna had been marching wrong, throwing everyone else off, and that Arianna had not swore just once, but three or four times.

As the story grew and became tangled with what the girls were saying, Arianna could have gotten into more trouble. Marah had been benevolent. For as much as he didn't like Arianna, the story the girls were feeding him was just too unbelievable. Arianna would never swear at her section and she had been marching for years before this while the girls had never marched before. Marah had not been kind while talking to Arianna, however, and the girls, although disappointed Arianna was not reassigned to another spot, were nearly cackling with glee as Marah reprimanded Arianna.

This had left her in tears, but Arianna knew that she had to deal with Mr. Marah. She had been so cruel to him after he had tried to approach her. But he had done so much to hurt her, too! Everything from insulting her leadership skills before a concert in front of the entire band to ignoring her when she had a question.

"Arianna, you must be joking. Wait, we're talking about Marah here, right?"

Arianna nodded and Elissa's eyes grew wide.

"So, let me get this straight. You are going to forget all the things he said and done to you? All the stuff he could have gotten in trouble for? You are going to forgive him?"

"I have to, Elissa!" Arianna was shocked at how loud she had shouted, her voice echoing in the building. "Even though he's insulted me, ignored me, used me, and then picked someone else as majorette, I have to push all of that away. I won't forget or forgive, but I have to push all that to the back now. I have to be nice from now on..."

"But, Arianna, there is no way that you can get majorette this summer anymore-"

"It's not about the majorette position any longer. That is over with for this year. I lost, okay? Even I can admit that. The fact is, Mr. Marah is here to stay. He's been here longer than the last two directors have been and he cares about the band. Just because we don't like one another doesn't mean he doesn't care about the band. If he didn't want me here, he would have let me leave this band. But, you heard the conversations yourself! He ruined my chances of joining any other band..."

Elissa was shocked by the change that came over Arianna and wondered if she was telling the truth. Arianna could be cunning when she wanted to, but it didn't seem she was strong enough to be cunning at the moment. Still weak from her health scare and the week of hours upon hours of marching, Arianna was shaking slightly, her hands twitching. Arianna's voice grew soft as she saw the doubt in Elissa's face.

"Deep down, I care, too. I don't want to admit it to anyone but you, but I care. I don't want him to leave like Mr. Barringer did. I hate having a director that hates me, but I would hate it more if he left. If the band loves him, and he hates me, I would rather have the band be happy. That's what it's about, right? Its the band, not the individual, that matters."

"How can you say that? Of course the individual matters!"

"No, Elissa. There is no ' I ' in ' band.' Anyway, I need to get along with him. If he is going to stay, I have to be nice if I have any chance of majorette next year, too. Maybe next year is my year? I probably deserved being snapped at, for how awful I have been since Mr. Barringer left."

"Arianna, he made you cry! Do you remember that day he pulled you into the back room and made you burst into tears? Remember how you had to beg me not to tell the school board about his verbal abuse? That was abuse, Ari, and you knew it, but you didn't want him to get in trouble!"

Arianna clapped a hand over Elissa's mouth.

"Don't remind me of that. That was one of my worst memories of this year, being so weak that I could cry in front of him. My tears did nothing but embarrass me and show me how weak I really was."

The two sat in silence. Arianna took her hand off Elissa's mouth and Elissa gave a sigh before she spoke.

"I suppose you're right. You need to be nice to him and just pray that he'll be nice to you. If he is going to stay for next year, that is the only thing you really can do."

_There you go... I love reviews! Thanks! _


	10. UhOh Hot dog

_I like this chapter only because it is a good memory. I hope you like it... It's a bit odd, but fun. This "Uh-Oh, Hot dog" is not related to the skit they do on a TV show every once in a while; this "Uh-Oh Hot dog" was made before the skits were ever done, so I didn't take it and the two things are not related. _

**Chapter Ten: Uh-Oh. Hot dog.**

They were all cramped onto the bus, the aromas of fake leather, diesel fuel, and body oder creating a perfume Arianna like to call: . Well, she didn't have a name for it, but it smelled like summer.

The band had been so several parades so far, all of them disappointing. Far from being the first place Marah had promised, they had once more been last place in everything. Arianna loved to march, considering the heat and the stress and the politics. She had been hurt when Mr. Marah had ignored her when she opened her mouth to say something to him, but Elissa had seen the look of surprise Marah had on his face when Arianna managed to say hello to him before he turned away.

The parade they had just finished marching in was one of the best festivals around; the awards were coveted every year. The marching route was exhausting, easily one of the toughest parades around at nearly two and a half miles.

Arianna heard snippets of conversation as she got off the bus, smiling as the light breeze buffeted her fresh shirt and clean shorts. Her long, heavy hair was still back in it's severe braid and the wind cooled her face. Her flip-flops felt so good after her marching shoes. Arianna went and helped other band members who had not made it back to the bus, but instead had slumped to the ground, exhausted, gulping water. She sipped her own water and offered help to those who needed it. She was determined to prove to Marah, the band, and to herself that she could be the leader a majorette should be, even is she didn't have the whistle that year. Next year. It would be her year next year.

"Arianna, where have you been?'

"Oh, making sure everyone was okay. It was a long parade."

Elissa had changed into clothes just like Arianna, minus the ace bandage. Arianna couldn't help but smile a little when other bands saw her wrapped ankle and muttered among themselves. To march with an injury was pretty honorable to those who took the marching world seriously. Injuries had their limits, too, but for the most part, Arianna wore the bandage like a battle scar. It was the same injury to her right ankle that kept other bands from accepting her, due to Marah and his flapping mouth. Although an injury was a badge, it was also a liability and, no matter who you were in the marching world, if you had an injury, you were a risk to the program.

"Arianna, you should take off your wrap. The parade is done. Is it hurting you?"

"Not much. I'm going to leave it on for now so that, when the other directors see it and see me this year, they can kick themselves for not ignoring Marah's warnings when they see one of the best majorettes on the field next year, a wrap around her ankle. Where were you?"

"You are such a doofus... I was watching the other bands, seeing the salutes around the corner. I thought you would be up there, too."

"I needed to make sure everyone was alright."

"You shouldn't care so much."

"I don't. It's about being remembered next year when a new majorette is chosen."

"That's pretty cold, Arianna."

"If you look at it logically, it's not."

Elissa shuddered and tried to change the topic. She noticed Arianna was shaking a little, too, but not because of her ambition. She was weak from the parade, although her eyes looked alert and proud.

"Arianna, when was the last time you ate?"

Arianna blushed slightly.

"Damn it! What did I tell you about eating! You need to eat something before you march! Look, lets go get some food. I'm going to fatten you up before the next parade. They have hot dogs and water over there... I hope you like hot dogs."

Elissa sighed as she joined the line of other students, fighting to get on the bus. The crowd was especially cheerful because, for one of the first times ever, their band had won second place in their division. The stands had shook with the noise their school had made and that noise had not diminished much as Elissa fought her way to her seat. Shoving her marching bag and colorguard pole aside, Elissa saw Arianna huddled in the corner of the seat. Arianna didn't even move when the colorguard pole hit her in the head. She just groaned and Elissa, struggling to see in the dim light of the bus, sat next to her.

"Are you okay? After we won, you just kinda disappeared."

"Arianna groaned again.

"I take it that's a no."

Arianna nodded.

"What happened? Are you okay? Did I give you too much to eat? I only gave you two or three hot dogs."

Arianna lifted four fingers, looking green.

"Four hot dogs? Oh! I didn't want you to eat all of them! I just gave you what I thought you might have wanted..."

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh?" repeated Elissa, confused.

"Uh oh..." repeated Arianna, looking desperate, grappling for her marching band hat. Elissa's eyes grew big. She wouldn't, not Arianna... She wouldn't throw up in her marching hat and disgrace the band. (At least, that's how Elissa thought Arianna would put it if she could open her mouth without risk.)

"What's the matter with her?" asked the sousaphone player behind them, leaning over his seat to get a better look at Ari in the dark.

"Uh-oh, hot dog," said Arianna meekly.

The ride home that night was joyous, the whole band celebrating their second place win. All of the band members but Arianna, that was. Although her hat stayed dry and her stomach full, she made an oath to never eat hot dogs again.

_And to this day, "Ari" still does not eat hot dogs unless she is really hungry! Review! _


	11. An Announcement

_Here we go with chapter eleven... I hope you enjoy! My plotbunnies work really hard!_

**Chapter Eleven: An Announcement**

"Ahhh-hhh-hhhhh-hh-ah-"

"Stop it! Elissa, you're being obnoxious!"

Arianna almost laughed as Elissa looked slyly over at her and grimaced while continuing her serenade. She called it: "Mouth Open On A Bumpy Bus."

The band was on their way to another parade, one of the last big parades before the final competition. This parade, the one the band was preparing to march in, was like the parade the band had won second place in just a week ago. That trophy now sat in the front of the bus, propped against the windshield and the dash, hope for those who, as soon as they got into their uniforms and walked off the bus, might need that little bit of hope to go on that night.

There had been such a commotion about the band winning in the marching community that Elissa and Arianna wondered if there would be flaming rolls of toilet paper thrown at them as they got off the bus. Mr. Marah had actually spoken to the girls about their win the week before and his concern over the parade that night.

"I know the host band is gong to try and rig it. Every band in our division is outraged that the underdog got a scrap from the dinner table. We are going to have a tough time tonight if we want to win anything..."

Arianna and Elissa were both recalling these words, hearing Marah say them in their heads as they warmed up on the grass, piccolo and flagpole side by side. Both girls were worried.

"I doubt we are going to place tonight. We made such a scandal the other week."

"Arianna listened to Elissa as she warmed her instrument. There was a cold wind for such a sunny day and Arianna could have made something poetic about this observation, but decided against it. Something else had caught her attention.

There was a man, dressed in another school's director shirt, watching Marah intently as he worked with the drum line. His face was keen and sunglasses hid his prying eyes. Arianna shook Elissa's arm.

"Do you see him, over there?"

"Yeah... Hey, he's spying on the band!"

"There is something wrong about this."

"He's a spy!"

"I recognize the crest on his shirt. He is going to retire, I heard, and a position is going to open up... Why is he spying on our band, though?"

Elissa and Arianna obeyed their command from Marah to come join the band, which was gathering in the grass for group work before the parade.

Arianna caught the look Mr. Marah gave the man with the glasses on the corner of the field. The man lowered his sunglasses and exchanged the same look with Marah before walking away.

"If this is our midsummer's slump, we need to get over it before the final parade next week! It was awful tonight!"

Mr. Marah yelled over the noise of the other bands, his own band gathered around him. Needless to say, the band was not thrilled about being yelled at after marching.

Frustrated and sweaty, Arianna unbuttoned her jacket, peeling off the heavy cloth. She earned a look of disapproval from one of the band moms, but Arianna ignored it. She had never had very much respect for the old biddies who thought their power surpassed the power of the director. Grabbing Elissa's arm, Arianna puller he away from the band and Marah's yelling.

"I'm not listening to this... I know I did well." Arianna was fuming as the two went to the bus, Elissa rolling her eyes.

"I agree with you that he is being unfair. We did well tonight, but you didn't have to pull me away. What if my commander gets mad? It's my birthday, too!"

"Then you can explain that I took you away because I didn't want my best friend to be screamed at, along with myself, because Marah had a problem."

"Yeah, that works..."

"Mid season slump," Arianna muttered, a sneer on her face. "He doesn't know what he sees. We can win this tonight!"

"I thought you stopped biting your fingernails," Arianna stated as the group walked across the parking lot, navigating the bushes and buses and band trailers.

"I did," came Elissa's reply. "I even put hot sauce in my polish."

"And you like that?" asked Jon, Arianna's prom date from the previous year, who had joined them when it was announced the award ceremony would take place in 30 minutes.

"No. I just can't help it when I'm nervous. Besides, it isn't as weird as Arianna's foot tapping thing."

"Elissa!"

Jon, Elissa, and Arianna were stopped suddenly, however, by a boy, the annoying sousaphone player who had sad behind Arianna in the "uh oh, Hot dog" incident.

"What do you want, Wade?" asked Jon, checking his watch. They had ten minutes to get to the stands before the majors and majorettes marched onto the field.

"What did you think about Marah's little speech?" Wade asked, subconsciously falling into step with the rest as they walked toward the sidewalk.

"I think it was unnecessary," said Arianna, quick to speak on the subject. "He needs to lighten up if he is going to keep us around."

"I don't like being yelled at," said Jon, brushing his long dark his out of his eyes.

"Well, we have to get used to it because he will be our director next year," piped in Elissa, spitting out a fingernail. "As you said, Arianna. He'll be here next year, so we need to get used to a little screaming."

There was a moment of silence before Wade, how had never looked more serious in his life with the band, said, "No, he won't."

"What?" asked Jon incredulously. "What do you mean?"

"That's why I found you guys. To tell you what I heard."

"Where did you hear this from?" demanded Elissa, nails forgotten.

"The band moms were talking by the trailer. I was getting water and they were talking really soft, so I listened on the other side of the trailer. Apparently, Marah is leaving."

The group stopped and looked at Wade. There was no lie in his eyes. Elissa looked hesitantly at Jon, who continued to stare at Wade as if he was seeing him for the first time. Time seemed to slow down, the noise of the other schools, all heading toward the stadium, dim and hazy. This spell was broken as a sob reached their ears.

Arianna was sobbing uncontrollably. Jon, unsure what to do, stood silently beside Wade, who looked uncomfortable seeing Arianna crying. Elissa looked at Arianna coldly, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, God, Arianna, get a grip."

Startled by her own weakness, Arianna walked of toward the buses, face buried in her hands.

"This is such a crappy birthday," said Elissa, biting her fingers again, stalking off toward the stadium, leaving Jon and Wade standing there, dumbfounded.

_That's how it really happened, too. "Ari" started to cry and "Elissa" snapped, while poor Jon and Wade didn't know what to do! Gah. Anyway, I love reviews, so please review. Thanks! _


	12. A Great Birthday Gift

_Here we go!_

**Chapter Twelve: A Great Birthday Gift.**

"And now, fourth place, division A..."

The announcer droned on and on, much to Elissa's annoyance. She was sitting next to a sulky Arianna. Who cares, she thought bitterly. Its my birthday, we got yelled at by Marah for a mid season slump and now he's leaving and Arianna is going to start crying again the moment Marah looks at her.

A sigh came from Arianna as the majorette from the band announced fourth place strode to the award table and saluted the host band. To be up there. That was her dream. To accept an award, to hold it in her hands... Arianna sniffled lightly. After she had a good cry alone on the bus, she had walked to the stadium, her pale face and red eyes startling some onlookers. Elissa and Arianna decided to stick together that night. Arianna would have held a grudge against Elissa for such a long time in any other circumstances, but, being that it would solve nothing, both decided to let it go. Elissa didn't feel guilty for being so harsh with Arianna, though, and Arianna had no regrets for being so emotional.

"Now, fourth place, division AA..."

"What is our division again, Ari?"

"AA. This is probably ours."

The two girls shifted their weight on the uncomfortable bleachers as fourth place was announced. There were five bands in their division. Someone would go home without an award that night. The school announced, however, was not them and the girls realized they had been holding their breath. The next time an award for division AA came around, third place, it was the same thing. Their school was not called.

"Look who decided to arrive," snarled Arianna. Elissa followed her gaze down the bleachers to where Mr. Marah was walking. He sat two rows down from where Arianna and Elissa were sitting. Rolling her eyes, Arianna poked Elissa. They were announcing second place, AA. Not them.

"You know what, I'm outta here." Arianna stood up and tried to move past Elissa.

"Don't leave yet! We might win!" Elissa sounded nervous, as if she doubted what she said as truth, but there was a gleam in her eyes. "What an awesome birthday gift that would be."

Elissa stood up to join Arianna, who felt frozen, as the announcer started to speak again. "And now, first place, division AA..."

If Elissa was wrong, Arianna would feel so stupid having faith in the band. But, they had done well that night. Marah didn't know what he was talking about. That was all Arianna thought, over and over, as the pause was almost too long to bear.

The announcer called out the name of the first place band.

It was them.

The stadium was silent long enough for the news to register that the underdog band, who won second last week, had now won first.

Arianna screamed, jumping onto the bleacher seat, Elissa punching the air, yelling so loud her throat hurt. Their whole school was screaming, the noise deafening. The shock was clear on the faces of the majors on the field as the majorettes from their school marched up to the table and accepted their trophy.

As Arianna hugged Elissa and after both of them burst into tears, Arianna looked down at the majorettes, holding the first place trophy, and felt her heart bleed in envy. It should have been her accepting the trophy. It would be her next year.

"Shut up, you guys, its just first place."

Arianna and Elissa knew Wade felt stupid for saying that the moment the words left his mouth. Other schools were stunned. Hell had frozen over. Marah walked by the bus, brandishing the trophy, and Arianna and Elisa, too happy at the moment to care about Marah, screamed their heads off.

"Arianna, you gotta sleep over and celebrate! What a birthday gift! First place!"

_Aren't you so happy for them? Well, even if you are not, it's still nice, right? I realize as I am typing this that Ari is really emotional. Hum... Gotta think about that one. Anyway, review please! I thank you! Onward to the next chappie. This next one is really good, I think... let me go and look... _


	13. Something Like A Soap Opera

_This is the chapter my friends and I agreed was the biggest in terms of "bam!" before I decided to post the story... I like it a lot, but I would like it more if I had not been there._

**Chapter Thirteen: Something Like A Soap Opera**

"I feel so tired," Arianna stated as Elissa drove out of the school parking lot.

"No, you don't! We are going to have such a fun time tonight. I called Allie and she can sleep over, too!" Elissa sounded so thrilled that Arianna felt a little of her weariness slipping away.

They had, while on the bus ride home, called everyone they knew, shouting the good news over the noise of the other students. It had been agreed on the bus that, although Arianna had wanted to find Marah once they got off the bus and pound him into the ground, neither of the girls would say a word about him leaving until they found more about it. After all, he had promised he wouldn't leave. He had made such a convincing speech. It could be a rumor. That's all it probably was, they told themselves, just a rumor that Marah would deny the moment he heard about it.

As they turned down the road where Allie was staying with her grandparents that week, Arianna thought she saw something near the street, in front of Allie's house.

"Elissa, do you see that? It looks like something is digging in the garden."

"Yeah, I see it." Elissa slowed down as they approached the house, headlights sweeping over what was digging in the garden: It was Allie.

Dressed in an old tank top with wooden beads around her neck, Allie ran up to them as the two girls got out of the car. Allie's dirt covered hands wiped themselves on Elissa as she was pulled into a big hug.

"Allie, why are you gardening at night?" asked an astounded Arianna, warding off Allie as she swooped in for a hug.

"Oh, I was just spreading some mulch, not actually gardening,"responded Allie, brushing her short red hair out of her eyes. "Now, take off that marching jacket and let me hug you!"

"I love Subway! Love it! L-O-V-E-S-U-B-W-A-Y!"

"Do you think Allie loves Subway?" Elissa asked Arianna as the three girls walked into the restaurant. Subway was attached to the gas station and was the local hang-out for the high school students. Except that night. No one was hardly there.

"I am surprised that there are not many people here," said Allie, her solo over as they walked to the counter to order. "What are you getting?"

Allie and Elissa placed their order, but there was something Arianna had seen and it caught her attention. Arianna, still dressed in half her uniform, jacket over her shirt, shoes peeking out from under blue jeans, didn't feel like a nerd at all, but didn't like the feeling she was getting in her stomach as she stared harder at what she had seen. Allie was drawing some attention with her dirty hands and wooden beads as she ordered first. Elissa had a plain shirt over her color guard dress. All in all, they were an odd group, but they didn't care: they were celebrating their victory.

"Arianna, order something- oh, no..." Elissa caught what Arianna was looking at and buried her head in her hands. Allie, not knowing what was going on, ordered for Arianna as Arianna turned pale and then bright red.

Mr. Marah had just entered the gas station and was headed their way.

The girls moved out of the way as Mr. Marah ordered his food, making sure that Arianna, Elissa, and Allie saw him. The station was very silent and the tension grew by the second.

"Mr. Marah, I have to ask you something..."

Elissa grabbed Arianna's arm as she took a step toward the band director.

"No, Ari! Don't do it, don't-"

Mr. Marah turned to face Arianna, a hard look on his face. Arianna slithered out of her marching jacket as Elissa tried to pull her back by the sleeve. Even the girl behind the counter looked concerned as the silence went on and on with every step Arianna took, until she stood inches away from Mr. Marah.

"Is it true?" she asked. "Are you leaving?"

Arianna asked the question that had been on everyone's mind. It had been a rumor that spread like wildfire after the bus ride home. Wade had told as many people as he could find. But now, Arianna had crossed the line of safety, pushing the limit. Mr. Marah looked closely at Arianna before answering, face shrewed and unyielding.

"Don't ruin my night."

Arianna took a deep breath, Elissa and Allie letting go of their's. Arianna was not going to be murdered at the moment, but she had certainly been wounded.

"You know, Arianna," continued Marah without mercy," You raised your instrument early in the judging zone. And your distance was poor; you needed to get the band to move faster in the judging area. You also hit a few wrong notes. It was hard not to hear you..."

"But we still won first place," breathed Arianna, her face going from shock to disdain to loathing. "I did fine. If you wanted me to do better, you should have given me the whistle. I do what I can with what I have. I have very little right now to work with."

Allie bit her lip and shuffled her feet, throughly uncomfortable. Elissa looked at the marching jacket she held in her hands and began thinking of a nice speech to make at Arianna's funeral, because Marah was going to kill her after all. She didn't know where Marah got the things he told Arianna. Arianna had done fine in the parade.

"And whose fault is that?" Mr. Marah said as he snatched his food from the lady behind the counter, shoving some cash into her hand.

"I should think you would want to prove that the rumor is false instead of letting it grow. You promised-"

"Don't ruin my night!" Mr. Marah repeated, glaring at the three girls as he cut Arianna's words short. Without taking his change, Marah left the station, fury on his face, slamming the door behind him.

Arianna sighed and, as she turned around from where she stood, the tension broke and even the girl handing Allie the food seemed to be relieved.

"Ari, are you alright?" asked Elissa, concerned. "I told you not to bother him. I tried to stop you..."

"It's alright," said Arianna softly, taking her marching jacket from Elissa, eyes on the ground, face pale. "I know you tried, but I'm glad that happened."

"Why?" asked Allie, still a little confused on what had just happened.

"Because," replied Arianna, "When he leaved, I won't be as sorry as I thought I would be." Arianna smiled, surprising Elissa and Allie. "Besides," she continued, we are going to have a sleepover and I am not going to let him ruin my night."

_There we go... I don't own Subway or know the people who own Subway. I just had to include it because it was a minor detail that hopefully will make appearances in the sequel/prequel. I don't own the gas station either... But I know who owns that! Thanks for reading! Please review... The next chapter is coming up!_


	14. The Real Announcement

_Here we go! Next chappie!_

**Chapter Fourteen: The Real Announcement.**

It had rained every time they had marched in the parade, rain falling in little drops that coated the face with a fine mist and made the instruments slippery. Arianna remembered that, the previous year they marched this parade, the festival had almost been canceled on account of rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Arianna tried to touch the drops of water through the glass windows of the bus ans sighed, leaving a fog mark that covered the raindrops on the window. Elissa sighed, too, rewinding the song she was listening to on her CD player.

Neither of them wanted to be there.

Elissa wouldn't admit that she was depressed, that she didn't want to see Mr. Marah after what had happened at the gas station. She scoffed at Arianna, saying that she would miss color guard when hell froze over after Arianna offered to skip the parade with her. Elissa had bravely gathered her things and stepped onto the bus before the rest of the band had arrived, leaving Arianna with the choice to either get on the bus and face Marah or to leave and betray the band.

Arianna loved this parade, the most prestigious invitational parade for marching bands. She had always wanted to have the whistle to lead the band in this particular parade, making it bitter to be on the bus. She didn't was to admit she thought Elissa was either brave or heartless, showing Arianna that she was being selfish and a brat. Arianna knew, though, that she wasn't being either. She was heartsick.

Ever since the parade where they had won first place for the first time in eleven years, the rumor that Marah was leaving had grown, Even people who had not gone to the parade knew that Marah might be leaving. It had spread around the town, too. It was what the old ladies talked about at the second hand store down the road, what the workers mentioned during break. Even people who didn't like the band knew that there was a chance the band director was leaving.

"Here we go again," muttered Elissa as the band scattered into their spots. As Arianna ran by, she said, "You stole my line!"

As the band warmed up, it began to rain again, the fine drops leaving watermarks on the thick marching uniforms and delicate color guard flags. The majorettes were complaining about the water. Arianna wished they would slip and fall; not enough to do damage, just enough to remind them to start the band instead of whining that they were wet. Mr. Marah seemed to have been thinking the same thing and, after a few coarse words and a hurt look, a majorette blew her whistle and the band moved down the road, a lady announcer welcoming the band to the parade.

The rain fell harder.

"Elissa, I really don't want to go back to the school. I didn't want to go back to the bus. I have a bad feeling."

"Arianna, stop it..."

"I'm serious. I've been avoiding Marah and he knows it, but there is going to be something when we get to the school that we shouldn't be a part of."

Elissa bit her lip. Arianna had a knack for premonitions. Reaching for her cellphone, Elissa agreed to call Allie.

'I heard she's in town. Maybe she can come and get us if she can borrow her grandparent's car."

Arianna nodded and went to tell a band mom that they wouldn't be staying for the awards ceremony. They were getting a ride from a friend.

"Hello?"

Arianna's phone rang just as she was going to disappear into the bathroom for a shower, to wipe away the dirt and sweat from the parade.

"It's me."

"Oh, hi, Elissa... I was just about to-"

"I won't talk very long. I have some news."

Arianna felt shivers run up her spine at the sound of Elissa's voice, soft and depressed.

'We didn't win anything at the parade. When the buses got back, Mr. Marah made an announcement, a real announcement, regarding the rumor..."

"And?" Arianna knew the answer in her heart before Elissa said it.

"He's leaving. After he promised us he wouldn't. People cried. They cried in front of everybody else. Some sat down and sobbed. He-"

Elissa's voice broke and Arianna felt her own throat closing up.

"It's okay, Elissa. You don't need to go on."

"I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks. Goodnight, 'Lissa"

"You too, Ari."

Arianna hung up the phone and stepped into the shower. As she washed her hair and let the warm water carry all the dirt and grime away, Ari didn't know if she was crying of it it was just water pouring down her face.

_This chapter always makes me tear up a little. Please read and review! Thank you! _


	15. The Last True Parade

_My friend started the first two paragraphs of this chapter, so I'm going to give credit where credit is due! Here we go..._

**Chapter Fifteen: The Last True Parade**

Elissa didn't know whether Arianna would show up or not; she certainly would have blamed her if she didn't. Elissa even had to drag herself to her car that morning. However, having to see Mr. Marah was a small price to pay for keeping her color guard coach on her good side. So she managed to board the bus, and sure enough ,Arianna was nowhere to be found. She took her usual seat with a sigh and glared out the window at Mr. Marah as he helped load the band trailer.

"Where's Ari?" asked Wade as he and Jon took their usual seat behind her. Elissa shrugged but said nothing. It seemed as though no one else was in the mood for talking either.

It was the last parade before the hometown parade. They were going to be the only marching band there: if they had enough people there to be a marching band, that was. Total, thirty people loaded the bus. The second bus, empty, was put back in the bus shed, and it was a wast of gas to pull the trailer; there were hardly any instruments there.

The bus ride was fairly normal, except there were so few people there that the noise level was horrifically soft. Everyone wanted to forget. NO one wanted to recall the fact that Marah was leaving. Silently, everyone got off the bus after dressing, clutching their instruments and flag, standing quietly in the circle Marah ordered them to make.

"You are the dedicated ones," spoke Marah. "You are the ones who are deserving and worthy. Those who are not here are the ones who will never be valued members of this band or any other band. They don't care. They are not here to support you are me or anyone else. They gave up and that's that."

His words faded into the growing sound of sirens, signaling the parade was starting. Marah waved his hands, signaling the band to move out. They did, as silently and quickly as possible. There was no noise beside the rustling of fabric and the tap of shoes as Elissa joined the color guard. Inside, she knew Marah was right in a way. She was there because she was dedicated; she loved color guard. Nothing would ever change that. For Arianna, though, things had changed. The only parade she had missed before now was for her own grandmother's funeral. But, it was Arianna's birthday today. Maybe her parents had taken her out? Maybe she was celebrating? Or maybe she just didn't want the band to be a part of her day. She didn't want Marah to ruin her birthday.

Sighing, Elissa stepped off as the whistle faded like Marah's voice into the warm morning air.

"So, what was your excuse?"

"Is this Elissa?"

"What were you doing that you were not there?"

"Where?"

"The parade, Arianna! There was a-"

I know, i know... I couldn't go. I just couldn't spend my birthday doing something that I didn't like. I couldn't spend my birthday knowing that Marah would be there."

"Ari, this isn't healthy!"

'I know! I never said it was! I just hate this..."

Elissa could hear breathing on the other end of the line for several seconds before Arianna continued talking.

"I just, " Arianna said, "I just couldn't be there. I didn't want to be there. I wanted nothing to do with the band. I wanted to forget the band even existed."

"That's not very nice.'

"I know! It's awful! But, thank Marah for doing that."

There was a long moment of silence and, disgusted, Elissa was about to hang up before she remembered.

"Ari?"

"I'm still here."

"We met the new director today."

"And?"

"I don't know his name. He seems like he is another Marah. Just the way he stands and stuff. He's going-"

"-to be the next to leave." Arianna was brisk with her words. "I don't want to meet him. I don't even want to hear about him. I want to forget that any of this even exists, okay?"

Elissa was glowering, but Arianna kept going.

"I will see you later, okay?"

"Are you going to be at the final parade?"

"I don't know, 'Lissa. I just don't know. If I go back now, before Marah leaves, he's gonna kill me for sure."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Thanks for calling me, though, Elissa."

"How was your birthday?" asked Elissa, remembering to ask before hanging up.

"Anything Marah-free can't be that bad..."

_There we are! Please review! I love reviews! Thanks!_


	16. The Hometown Parade

_Here is the second to last chapter! Here we go!_

**Chapter Sixteen: The Hometown Parade**

The sirens were set off, starting a whole new parade. The balmy summer evening g was perfect for marching. The light breeze, the fading light, the crowd large and supportive and eager for the parade to come closer. It was the type of thing that made Arianna's skin tingle in near happiness. The beauty of the silence before a parade.

It was Arianna's first time actually watching a parade since she had joined marching band, or, rather, decided to quit marching band. The season was over after this parade, nothing else to do but put uniforms away and return the band trailer to it's rightful spot in the bus shed.

Arianna had planned to go and march. She had run late, though, due to relatives in town. If she had tried, if she had really wanted to, she could have been a part of the group that was now making their way up the street. But she didn't.

As the band moved closer, Arianna moved closer to the street, wanting to get a clear look at the band. She could have laughed or cried when she saw how few people were there. There was hardly a drum line and not even enough performers to make a complete row of one particular instrument. The band was out of step and the majorettes looked how Arianna felt: humiliated. This was not a marching band. This was something pathetic, weak, undisciplined.

This was not the band Ari knew.

Suddenly, her eye was caught by a flash of sunglasses as a figure on the street came into view. Mr. Marah was there, looking straight at her. Arianna felt something clench in her stomach. Was he going to yell at her in front of everyone? Was he going to humiliate her? Was he just going to pass her by?

All he did, as Arianna regained her own emotions and gave him an icy look, was shake his head and continue on, giving her the evil eye behind sunglasses. If looks could kill, Ari would have been dead. She could tell that Marah gave her his worst glare ever, a look of pure fire and anger that made Arianna cringe. Ice and fire had met one last time.

Other people, she found out, had seen that glance he had given her. They had seen, or perhaps even felt the hatred in that exchange. Embarrassed that there were people looking at her, and that her own family was shocked, Arianna was relieved when Elissa came bouncing up the sidewalk toward her.

"Elissa! I thought- Why are you not-"

"I skipped. I didn't want to embarrass myself."

Elissa and Arianna hugged.

"Did you see-"

"Yeah, that's why I came over here, to make sure you were okay!"

"Well, other people saw than just you and I. That look was awful. I won't forget it."

The two stood quietly as a clown came up the street, handing out candy. Elissa smiled at Ari.

"You know what can help us forget about them? The whole band? The whole Marah thing?"

Arianna gave Elissa a questioning look.

"Candy from a clown with blue makeup..."


	17. The End Of Summer, the Beginning of Hope

_Thank you to all of you who stuck by the story! This is the last chapter! Lets go!_

**Chapter Seventeen: The End Of Summer, The Beginning Of Hope...**

Neither of the girls remembered very much after that parade. Nothing really happened. Life went on as it should. Marching and was over, leaving nothing for the two to do between then and the beginning of the school year.

They were juniors now. They could hardly believe it! After that year, they were going to be seniors, but neither of them wanted to think that far ahead. Their sophomore year was behind them. It was all in the past and nothing could bring it back. Marah was gone. He had packed and left, leaving the band room empty and the office hollow.

The two had gone back to the school, however, before the school year began, to pick up various items and fix scheduling errors. Arianna and Elissa stole away, down to the music department, to take one final look at the rooms. Marah had left, the new director had not come. The band office was without an owner.

Peering in through the window, Elissa could see that there was nothing left but a desk and a chair. The closet door was open, the closet itself empty. It was still hard to believe that Marah was not there and that he was not coming back. Perhaps it was a bad thing. Maybe, after all that went on during the year, the band wouldn't come back. Maybe the program would finally fall victim to the ever-growing budget cuts and there would be nothing left.

But, perhaps it was a good thing Mr. Marah had left. The band would come out of it's trance Marah had put them in and everyone would see him how he was seen by Arianna. Maybe his betrayal was bringing something better than expected, more than one could hope for. Perhaps it was for the good...

Elissa looked up as the lights Arianna had turned on when they had entered the room were going out, one by one. Slowly, the bare room was plunged into darkness, except one light.

Turning the corner, she could see Arianna standing by the light panel, her finger hovering over the final switch, the one that would bring darkness to the room until the new director would come and turn it back on.

For a few moments, the girls stood, looking at the light over the podium, not saying a word. Finally, Arianna smiled. With that smile, Elissa opened the door, Arianna turned off the light, and the two left the band room, the door locking itself behind them.

The End.

_Thanks so much! Please review! I'll bring you more, I promise! This was only the sophomore year, so I still have three other years to go... Thank you again! I hope you enjoyed following my friends and I on our band adventure, for, although this was fan fiction, these characters are based off ourselves. Goodbye!_


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